Monday, February 02, 2009

Snow, Ice & Tufted Titmouse

A little Tufted Titmouse pauses to check its surroundings before returning to hammering on the corn grain clutched between its feet.

The Tufted Titmice is the most common visitor to our winter feeders. I love watching them pick up a choice morsel and fly with it to their preferred spot. There they will clutch it tightly between their feet while breaking it apart with rapid blows of their sharp beak. In this photo you can see the titmouse has gained access to the starchy contents of the corn by pecking a hole in the cob end of the kernel.

Although it was very cold Saturday morning the weather warmed considerably by afternoon softening the crusted snow. The temps stayed above freezing during the night followed by a high of 50 deg F Sunday bringing our wildlife much needed respite from the impenetrable crust.

Michelle of Rambling Woods asked in a comment on yesterday’s post if squirrels are hunted for food. The answer is yes. Squirrel meat is quite good and is frequently slow fried, stewed, or fixed with dumplings and potpies. Many squirrel hunters consider them a delicacy.

Well..I suspected that. I had a landscaper come for an estimate and 'SHE' was a big hunter and really, really like squirrel especially squirrel meatloaf. She kind of shook her head at the gray squirrels up in the trees. I just wondered if people went out and shot them just because or if most were shot for meat...

Anyway..you are very lucky if you have lots of titmice. I have had one pair the last couple of years, but that's all. And that is a beautiful photo...Michelle

That is a beautiful shot Coy. We dont find squirrels around the town areas anymore so the only hunting which is done here is for buck and that is on private game farms. My husband used to go with a group of his friend every year. On most of them, we also have a hunting season which is from June to end September every year. It is a very popular sport here too.

About Me

Cutting my teeth on Minolta 101 & 102's in the 70's, I am now rediscovering photography in the digital age. Having been a hunter all of my life and a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer for over two decades, my photography interest focuses predominately on wildlife. Photography allows me to interact with and observe wildlife in ways that consumptive only hunting could never hope to. My hope is that sharing my work through Country Captures will encourage others to find a deeper appreciation for our natural world.
My photography has been published by a number of magazines and organizations including Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Pennsylvania Magazine, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and British Shooting Sports Association.
All comments are welcome; photographic critique as well as agreement or disagreement with my expressed views on any subject. If you like what you find here please add Country Captures to your list of links, I appreciate it.